Laney McLaneface: Developer Polls Community to Choose Melbourne Laneway Name

Melbourne-based Pace Development Group is offering its laneway up to the public for naming rights. And no, Laney McLaneface isn’t an option.

Voting on the project’s Facebook page has been finalised with the public choosing “St Crispin Lane” as Abbotsford’s newest laneway.

Pace is refurbishing both the art deco façade of its red brick Crispin street building and adjoining laneway as part of its Abbotsford apartment project currently under development.

The site, located east of Victoria Park railway station, sits at the centre of a large block and stretches back to Stafford Street. Pace initially asked for 180 units on the site when it first lodged plans after purchasing it for $13 million three years ago.

The developer said the chosen name ties most directly to the site, which previously functioned as a shoe factory – St Crispin House.

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Pace managing director Shane Wilkinson says he’s committed to a green make over that will celebrate the laneway’s age.

“Thanks to the laneway acquisition, we have increased the overall floorplate of this building, but rather than use this to increase density, we’ve decided to increase the size of the apartments instead.”

The development will feature two apartments on each level, and one ground floor apartment traversing two storeys, each will boast internal areas from 70 square metres to 95 square metres.

Wilkinson says the two and three bedroom apartments will be sold at some of the most competitive prices in Melbourne’s inner-north.

“Unlike the average three-bedroom houses or units in Abbotsford that are currently selling for a median price of $1.35M and $1.045M respectively, the starting price for our three-bedders is 37 per cent less,” he said.

Completion is planned for mid-2019.